BRANDON, SD (KELO) – As the city of Brandon grows, planning for recreational opportunities is more important than ever. The city is getting closer to creating a safe place for cyclists. Brandon hired a consulting firm in Denver to help him develop a plan for a bike and pedestrian path in the city. Those the findings were presented to the park council Wednesday evening at the town hall.

Riley McKeown knows full well that it’s not always easy to feel safe on a bike in Brandon.
3 years ago, a driver struck Riley at a crosswalk. Fortunately, his mother made sure he wears his helmet.

“So we’re kind of the flagship of bicycle safety,” said Jen McKeown.

Years before Riley’s accident, Jen was driven off the road in Brandon by a truck that didn’t stop.

“I ended up in the hospital, broke my bones and things like that.”

Jen says the city has always been responsive and is happy to see work on a new bike-pedestrian plan.
Dave Kull, longtime Brandon resident and current member of city council, says the city is growing, especially in the east.

“There really isn’t a place, as far as an accessible bike path for people, kids and adults to go from the east side to the west side of town,” said Kull.

Brandon’s pedestrian cycling plan is different from Sioux Falls. It is not a continuous paved path, but rather a network of paths, paths and sometimes cycle paths in the streets.

“We are looking to fill the existing gaps in the city’s cycling and pedestrian system and possibly propose new facilities,” said consultant Will Kerns.

Kerns will present his findings to the park’s board of directors and seeks feedback from residents.

“We have a great project website designed to collect feedback, it has an interactive map where people can literally draw lines on the map to give their ideas on potential trails or potential bike paths they would like to see.” , Kerns said.

“I absolutely support anything that would give cyclists and pedestrians a place to walk and a place to cover even more miles of trails than we currently have, I think that would be a great addition to the community,” said McKeown.